Axle-lubricating device.



No. 822,005. PATENTED MAY 20, 1900. W. G. TATNALL.

AXLE LUBRICATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.27,1905.

/N VE N TUR Nrrnn STATES.,

PATnnr enrich.

WALTER G. TATNALL, OF WlLMlNGTON, DELAWARE, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO HIMSELF, AND ERNEST ARMSTRONG, OF WOODBURY, NEW JERSEY, AND ONE-THIRD TO VALTER G. TATNALL, JR., OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

AxLE-LUBRICAT'ING DEvioE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ldatented May 29, 1906.

Anplication lefl October 27,1905. Serial No. 284,602.

To L7/Z whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER G. TATNALL, a citizen of the United States, residing in Wilmington, in the county of Newcastle, in the State of Delaware, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Axle- Lubricating Devices, of which the following is a true and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

My invention relates to mechanism for lubricating axles, particularly car-axles, and has for its object to provide an efficient oiling device with the minimum consumption of oil and the least possible Wear on the oiling parts. i

I employ a wick-oiling swab the lower part of which and preferably auxiliary wicks attached to which are immersed in oil lying in the bottom of the axle-box, and, broadly speaking, the leadingfeature of my invention consists in supporting the ends of this wickoiler in the box at points above the center of the axle and out of contact with the axle, said points being so located that intermediate portions of the wick are drawn by gravity only into contact with the axle.

Another important feature of my invention consists in the employment of a wicksupporting frame to which the ends of the wick-oiler are attached, the frame being secured in proper position in the box by being clamped between the top of the axle-bearing and the wedge or other part supporting this bearing in position. By preference the Wicksupporting device is made of thin sheet metal and provided with flanges which will engage shoulders occupying normally lixed positions in the box, and thus prevent longitudinal movement of the frame and the wick supported thereon.

The above and other detailed features of my improvement will be best understood as described in connection with the drawings, in which they are illustrated, and in whichl Figure 1 is a side view of an axle-box provided with my improvements in what I believe to be their best form, the view being shown on the vertical section-line 1 1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the box on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the wick-supporting device shown in connection with Figs. 1 and 2 with the wick-oiler indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 4 is an end view of a somewhat modified form of wick-oiler support with the wick attached, and Fig. 5 a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 4.

A indicates the axle-box, which is of ordinary construction, having a chamber A to hold a body of oil.

B is the axle; O, the usual brass or bearing for the axle; D, the usual wedge 7 which intervenes between the bearing and the top of the axle-box.

E is the wick-oiler-supporting device, preferably made of thin sheet metal conformed. to the shape of the top of the bearing C, so as to fit between it and the wedge or other device against which it rests. The bearingsurfaces of the wick-holder are indicated at E E E2 E2, and to prevent longitudinal movementof the holder I form it with one or more projecting flanges, as indicated. at E4 E4, these flanges engaging against shoulders which normally occupy a fixed position in the box. Thus, as shown, the one flange extends up between the upturned flange of `the bearing C and the end of the wedge D,

while the 'other flange rests against a shoulder formed near the other end of the wedge.

In the preferred form of holder shown in Fig. 3 lugs E3 E3, Sco., extend from the corners of the holder and have their ends bent to form eyes, as indicated at E5 E6, one of these by preference, as indicated at E, being formed by an elastic end of the upturned sheet metal, which will permit the readyinserion and withdrawal of a wick-supporting wire, such as F, which is supported in the eyes and directly supports one end of the wick, as shown. Tn the modified construction (shown in Figs. 4 and 5) the ends of the wick are attached directly to the outer edges IOO (indicated at G3 G3,) which also extend into the oil at the bottom of the box. The length of the wick-oiler should be such that it will hang suspended between the supporting devices to which its ends are attached and so that intermediatepoints thus provided with the swabs G G will be drawn by gravity into contact with the sides of the axle.

The light gravitative contact of the wickoiler with the axle I have found to give sufficient lubrication, while at the same time the pressure against the axle is so light that there is little or no wear on the contacting parts of the wick-oiler. As a result I have secured great advantages both in economy of lubrication and durability of the parts, while at the same time there is practically nothing in the constructive details of my mechanism which is at all liable to become broken or get out of order.

It is well known that the motion of a car brings about a pressure on the wick or packing of the axle-box which tends to move it in the opposite direction to that in which the car moves. It is therefore not absolutely necessary that the wick should contact with the axle when the car is at rest, because if it hangs in close proximity to the axle it will be brought in contact with it as soon as the car is in motion.

I have described my invention in what I believe to be its most practicable and efficient form g but it is capable of useful application in modified forms, which will occur to those familiar with the art. The essential and indispensable feature of my invention lies in the support of a wick above the center of the axle and in such location that an intermediate depending portion of the wick will lie close to or in light gravitative contact with the axle.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In combination with an axle-box and an axle supported therein, a wick-oiler having its ends supported in the box out of contact with the axle above the center thereof, and one on each side thereof, and its intermediate part forming a loop extending below the axle as described, and so as to contact lightly with the'sides thereof by gravity.

2. In combination with an axle-box and an axle supported therein, a wick-oiler having its ends supported in the box out of contact with the axle above the center thereof, and one on each side thereof, and its intermediate part formingI a loop extending below the axle as described, said looped wick-oiler having swab-pads attached to it at points adapted to contact with the sides of the axle.

3. In combination with an axle-box and an axle supported therein, a wick-oiler having its ends supported in the box out ofcontact with the axle above the center thereof, and one on each side thereof, and its intermediate part forming a loop extendingbelowthe axle as described, said looped wick-oiler having swab-pads attached to it at points adapted to contact with the sides of the axle, and auxiliary wicks depending from said swab-pads.

4. In combination with an axle-box and an axle-journal therein, a wick-supporting frame extending over the bearing, and a wick-oiler supported at each end on said frame and arranged to extend beneath the axle.

5. In combination with an axle-box and an axle-bearing in the upper side thereof, a wicksupporting frame of thin sheet metal extending over the bearing, and a wick-oiler supported at each end on said frame and arranged to extend beneath the axle.

6. In combination with an axle-box and an axle-bearing in the upper side thereof, a wicksupporting frame of thin sheet metal having upwardly turned flanges adapted to fit against shoulders occupyinga normally fixed position in the box, extending over the bearing, and a wick-oiler supported at each end on said frame and arranged to extend beneath the axle.

7. In combination with an axle-box, a bearing supported therein, and an axle contacting with the bearing, a sheet-metal wicksupport conformed to the shape of the top of the bearing and fitting between the same and the surface against which it rests.

8. In combination with an axle-box, a

bearing supported therein, and an axle contacting with the bearing, a sheet-metal wicksupport conformed to the shape of the top of the bearing and fitting between the same and the surface against which it rests, said support having flanges adapted to fit against a shoulder or shoulders occupying normally a fixed position in the box.

9. In combination with an axle-box, a bearing supported therein, and an axle contacting with the bearing, a sheet-metal wicksupport conformed to the shape of the top of the bearing and fitting between the same and the surface against which it rests, and wicksupporting rods detachably secured to the ends of the sheet-metal support.

l/VALTER G. TATNALL. Witnesses:

S. HoRAoE MYERS, IRA STOVER MYERS.

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